Our skin is our organ that protects us from the external environment. Regulating heat loss in the body is one of the most important functions of this organ.
While trying to keep our body temperature constant, especially in cold weather, the blood vessels in the skin shrink. This is especially true; The internal temperature is tried to be increased with the tremors that occur while it becomes evident in organs such as hands, feet, nose tip and ears.
As the weather gets colder, the amount of moisture in our skin decreases. For this reason, you need to change your skin moisturizers used in normal times. Proper nutrition and regular care are required for skin protection during the winter months. While moisturizing ingredients can protect your skin in seasonal normals, moisturizers with high oil content and restorative properties should be used in winter months.
Proper care is required during the winter months. Since the worn and damaged stratum corneum (the top layer of our skin) cannot function on the skin, which protects our body from environmental factors, allergens and irritants (detergents and chemical agents) can easily cause skin irritation, allergies and eczema with their negative effects.
exp. Dr. Melike ASLANHe emphasized that appropriate care may be required for the skin of the hands, face, feet and body in the winter season, especially in the elderly, children and those with sensitive skin:
Care Tips for a Healthy Skin
1- Avoid hot water
Hot water damages the protective oil layer on the leather. Frequent bathing and hand washing are inconvenient for people with sensitive skin. When the bath time is 5-10 minutes, the moisture content in the skin increases, but a longer bath reduces the water content in the skin cells.
2- Use a mild soap
Scented, deodorant and alcohol-containing soaps can irritate the skin. It is preferred that the soap pH ratio is 5.5. Oily soaps and gels are useful for skin protection.
3- Use of humidifier
The effect of using moisturizer after bath increases several times. It is more effective to apply a suitable moisturizer after bathing, immediately after washing and drying hands or feet (first 3 minutes). A moisturizer containing urea and lactic acid may be more beneficial for extremely dry skin. The only drawback is that sometimes moisturizers can irritate the skin if you have eczema on the skin. If the skin continues to be dry despite using a moisturizer, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist.
4- Shaving and epilation
After the bath, the hairs become soft and it is more appropriate to shave during this period. Shaving foam or gel should be used on dry skin before shaving (for face, legs and other areas). The gel more effectively prevents skin irritation. Shaving foam should be left on the skin for 3 minutes. Shaving should be done in the direction of hair growth. Otherwise, it may cause irritation with ingrown and ingrown hairs. Razor blades should definitely be changed after 5-7 uses at most. In this case, the risk of skin irritation is reduced.
5- Summer is not a suitable time for peeling due to the high sun exposure. However, autumn and winter months are considered suitable seasons for peeling with glycolic acid-containing products for acne scars and fine wrinkles.
6- People generally use sunscreen creams in the summer months. Since ultraviolet rays reach us even in rainy weather, a sunscreen of at least 30 SPF is recommended in the winter season. The use of sunscreen is even more important at high altitudes and in snowy conditions. It is necessary to use accessories such as gloves, suitable socks, shoes, berets and scarves in order to protect our skin from the effects of cold weather and to prevent cold and hot shock.
7- Hair
Hair that has been damaged by the effects of the sun during the summer months needs to be properly cared for in the winter months. Gentle hair shampoos and conditioners are recommended.
8- Antioxidant Treatments
In order to prevent skin aging, in terms of hair-nail care, both as a cream and orally, zinc, vitamins A, E, C and other products with antioxidant effect should be used in consultation with the physician.
9- For babies
Since babies’ skin is more sensitive, it is even more important to protect them from the cold and use a moisturizer during the winter months.
Foods that are good for skin dryness:
The drink we will take at the top of the list is of course WATER: You should drink water frequently during the day.
Foods rich in vitamin A such as potatoes, dried apricots, liver and carrots.
Fresh or squeezed citrus fruits.
Green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, cauliflower.
Foods with Omega 3 content such as fish and fish oil.
